BRAVE soldiers serving in Afghanistan this Christmas will be able to read the news from back home – thanks to the Telegraph.

Copies of the newspaper will be sent to the frontline, courtesy of The Coventry Old Comrades’ Association.

It follows a huge delivery of gifts which readers donated in their thousands as part of a Telegraph-backed campaign to let troops know they are being remembered this festive season.

Ex-serviceman Jim Richards, of the OCA, said: “It’s great that we can send copies of local newspapers to Afghanistan because they are an important way for the soldiers to stay in touch with news from home.

“I received so many letters of thanks when we did it in 2006, which said how much they liked the papers because they could follow the news and local sport.

“I only wish I had had this sort of thing when I was serving in conflicts, because we had no contact with home back in those days.”

DVDs, chocolates and other personal items have already been sent to the Queen’s Royal Hussars – a regiment made up mostly of soldiers from Coventry and Warwickshire.

Squadron sergeant major Iain Andreason said in a letter to the OCA: “Thank you for your parcel that you sent out to the soldiers.